So what does the future hold for the 911 GT3 now? Cars like the
GT4
911 R
have seemingly shown an appetite for manual Porsches, but we know the decision was made with the GT3 to make it with PDK. Now it's time for the facelift...
The gift that keeps on giving!
Given how mild this update appears to be, it seems extremely unlikely that the GT3 will change transmission choice here. Indeed, if you look very closely at one of these images, part of a gearchange paddle can be seen behind the wheel.
Anyway, whatever gearbox is in your fast 911, it promises to be a pretty stellar car. In typical Porsche fashion this is an extremely subtle update - from here only the front grille appears to be any different - but expect the finished car to feature interior and styling upgrades from the latest turbo Carreras. In both 996 and 997 generations the GT3 has gained around 20hp at the facelift, so could the same happen again? Given the issues that the 475hp 3.8-litre engined faced, perhaps not. Let's wait and see.
This latest GT3 seems likely to appear at the Frankfurt show in September, which means there's plenty of time to talk about availability (or lack of it). Perhaps now's the time to enquire about an RS facelift... More news, and hopefully some better pics, as soon as it's available.
[Spyshots: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien]